In These Moments
by AKA DD
Summary: A series of Missing Scenes throughout Season 2 chronicling how Max grows to love Alec...
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Dark Angel does not belong to me.**

**A/N: I've been having some writer's block. Even the 100-word drabbles weren't formulating in my head. So, I just sat down and looked through some random ideas that I had typed a while ago. I needed something to break my writer's block. These snippets were the result. It's basically a series of moments (missing scenes) that follow throughout Season 2 chronicling how Max could fall for Alec. Hope you guys like it.**

**PS: Thanks to Flaymzofice for her awesome beta work!**

* * *

**1. The Non-Breeding Partner**

Max slowly slid to the floor of her cell in Manticore and watched X5-494, her brother's equally beautiful twin, sleep on her bunk. Suddenly, his long lashes fluttered slightly and Max couldn't help but smirk. _Or pretend to sleep._

"Why?" she called out to him from her corner.

He grunted, but didn't say anything. He turned his head to face her though, opening one eye lazily.

"Why aren't you following mission objectives?"

He slowly opened both hazel-green eyes, regarding her speculatively. He cocked a brow sardonically at her, "Would you like me to? Because quite frankly, I have _no _problems with…performing…mission objectives," he grinned cockily at her.

Max grimaced in disgust, "Hell, no."

"That's why." He returned to his earlier relaxed position on her bunk, no longer facing her. He crossed his arms over his chest and settled more comfortably against her pillow.

"Can't take rejection, huh?" She stopped, gritting her teeth in annoyance. Why was she baiting him? They could both wait in perfect silence for their hour together to be over.

"Hmm…think what you like, 452," he replied easily. "Far as I'm concerned, I like copulation to be consensual. Makes things more…pleasant."

"My name's Max," she informed him indignantly. "And _copulation_ for Manticore breeding purposes is never going to be pleasant. Think about it."

"Not gonna lose any sleep over this. This is all your fault anyway." he grunted, but didn't bother to call her by either her designation or her name.

"Well, I'm not gonna let _my _kid be raised in this hellhole and become a little soldier," she mumbled.

"I turned out okay," he grinned, turning back around to face her. He was rolling around in her bunk quite a bit. She couldn't help but think that her bunk would smell like him from now on. Never letting her forget.

"Puh-lease," she scowled at him. "You're an amoral puppet who can't tell the difference between right and wrong."

He lost his grin, his eyes faded into a dull grey-brown, and he looked intently down at her. "Maybe you're right. But at least I'm not…_forcibly _following mission objectives. _You_ think about that, _452._" Then he turned back to lie on the bunk. "Now, if you can possibly learn to be quiet, I'm gonna get something useful out of this and sleep. Wake me up in forty minutes."

Max felt vaguely ashamed at her verbal assault on him. She had judged him based only on the fact that he had lived his whole life in Manticore. She knew nothing about 494. Except that he sold Cuban cigars and vitamins to the guards. And that he had quite a mouth on him and a smart-aleck-y grin.

494 didn't add up. He wasn't quite the true-blue soldier, but he wasn't exactly anti-Manticore, either. Suddenly, she didn't want him to just be 494. He was a man, but he was also an assassin. He didn't always follow orders, but he didn't seem to feel remorse when he did. He smiled easily, but there was a dangerous glint in his eye. He charmed with his wit, and he bit with his sarcasm.

No, 494 didn't add up. He was something more than a number. He needed a name.

* * *

**2. To the Rescue**

The kids were huddled in their van, sleeping, obviously exhausted by their ordeal. She couldn't blame them. In the last week since she'd burnt Manticore to the ground, they'd probably trekked a hundred clicks through the Seattle forests, without much food or water—only to find out that their own Command had betrayed them. Their world had suddenly changed, and life as they knew it, was now a whole different ball game.

It was quiet, as she sat on watch a few paces away from the van.

Quiet, except for the noisy crunching of the guy next to her as he munched on pork rinds.

"Could you eat any louder? Or are you, _trying_ to get us caught?" she hissed in annoyance.

Alec turned to face her and bit into another piece with great drama and deliberation. "You mean like—" _crunch _"—that?" he wondered innocently.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you that chewing with your mouth open, _and _talking with your mouth full, is impolite?" she said through gritted teeth.

"Apparently not," he grinned, not at all bothered.

And Max realized that Alec was just like one of those kids in the van. Except that he didn't seem to be floundering around in confusion at his new state of existence. He was the kind of guy who rolled with the punches and hit the ground running. He was a survivor.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

He cocked a brown in slight confusion.

"For getting me out of White's camp earlier today," she finished.

He shrugged, dismissing her gratitude. And she noticed that he had put the pork rinds away and was now snacking quietly with his mouth closed. She couldn't help but smile. He did listen. And importantly, he learned every step of the way. He was gonna be all right.

"Why'd you come back?"

She heard him swallow his food before smirking at her. "Well, what can I say, _Max_, you must have touched something in my heart."

She looked at him in horrified disbelief, and he released a shout of laughter, almost choking on his snack.

"Check you out," he chuckled. "You spout off all this 'inspirational' chat, and then you're shocked to hear that it might have worked. You're a real piece of work, 452."

"Max."

"Still you."

"Not really."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, totally."

"Fine." He paused deliberately and smiled widely at her. "_Max_," he shrugged, and stared out into the darkness of the forest.

Max frowned slightly at him. "I'm not shocked. Just didn't think you were the sentimental, heart-and-soul typa guy. Sappy, don't ya think?"

He gave her a long, searching look. "Nobody gets left behind, Max. Not even you." Then he stood up and walked away from her, leaving her wondering what the hell he meant by that.

* * *

**3. Proof**

She sat at the top of the Space Needle, a dry trail of too many tears on her face. Tonight, she'd lost the cure because she couldn't let Alec die. He was a screw-up, constantly crashing into her life in ways that threw her off-course.

But she couldn't have let him die, tonight. She _couldn't_ because he had shown her proof.

He hadn't killed her when he had the chance. He had shown her proof that he wasn't just a bad guy. A mindless, mission-driven soldier. A selfish, self-preserving bastard.

No…he really wasn't.

Third time's the charm right? First he didn't force himself on her as her breeding partner, despite the punishments Manticore handed out of insubordination. Then he turned his car around and saved her from White. And now…he had just spared her life, even when he really had no reason to.

No other reason except that he was a good guy after all. At the very end of his life, he had still chosen to do the right thing, and for some reason, she hated him for it.

Because now, she had to do right by him, too.

And he had looked at her with those eyes that really said they were sorry.

"_I'm sorry, Max. For everything."_

But she couldn't look at him. He had saved her life in exchange for his, and she had barely made the decision to save his…only because she wanted to be with her boyfriend. Who was the bad guy here?

* * *

**4. Two of A Kind**

"You're casing the place."

"No, I'm not," he denied, but his eyes were roving over the old lady's apartment, expertly picking out the pieces that would be worth his time.

Max shook her head disbelievingly at him. "Yes, you are. I knew that's why you took this job—'cuz you wanted a sector pass and you were looking for a place to rob."

He turned and looked her straight in the eye, "Isn't that why _you _took this job?"

Well, he had her there. Of the others of her escaped Unit, none had turned out like her; they had never understood the way she lived. They didn't understand why she chose to be a bike messenger by day, a cat burglar by night, and friends at her side.

But Alec…they were two of a kind, in more ways than one.

* * *

**5. Brotherly Type**

"Max, Max, let me ask you a question. Think there's something a little, uh, little off about Brother Zack?" asked Alec, jogging up next to her as she made her way to the bar to get another pitcher of beer.

She stopped in her tracks and faced him. "Like what?"

Alec smirked down at her, "Well, for starters, he doesn't act like any brother _I've _ever seen."

Max frowned at him, crossing her arms in front of her defensively. "Got something to say Alec, spit it out."

"Seems to me like he's got the hots for you," he shrugged with purposeful casualness. "It's kinda kinky if you ask me."

"I didn't," snapped Max. She wanted to groan out loud. Of all the things to point out about Zack, he had to pick up on the definite, over-zealous, overprotective, over-possessive boyfriend vibe. "And stay out of it."

He looked at her innocently. "I'm just saying."

What? That he noticed someone else noticing her? "Well, don't," Max glared at him. She didn't need _his _attention on this matter either—although, his attention strayed far from Zack's. "'Cuz I don't wanna know what goes on in that sick little mind of yours."

He gave her puppy dog eyes that she wanted to gouge out of his head. "That hurts," he pouted.

Honestly, did he think it was kinky that Zack had the hots for her? That was just wrong on all sorts of levels. So typically Alec. She gave him a withering look, "Truth always does."

She started to turn away, but changed her mind briefly. "And Zack is just my brother. That's it."

He shrugged and grinned at her. "I still don't get that whole brother-sister deal. Lucky for you, I'm not the brotherly type."

She gave him an assessing look, before giving her head a brisk shake. She quickly spun around and headed towards the bar. She had always considered all Manticore alum as her family. Brothers and sisters. But for some reason, she didn't want Alec to be her brother.

"Can I get a refill?" she called to the bartender. She wouldn't know what to do with him. Good thing he wasn't the brotherly type.

* * *

6. **The Disney Version**

The Disney version usually, didn't involve genetically enhanced human hybrids made in a lab.…or a few dozen little guppy looking fish babies swimming around their very human-looking parents. Kinda strange, really. More like the Twilight Zone.

It also didn't much involve bullet holes through the arm.

Max glanced over her shoulder at Alec, who was still standing patiently by Asha's car as she rummaged through her trunk of random knick-knacks looking for bandages. He was clutching his arm, which still bled, though not as badly. He had to have been in pain. But he hadn't said a word.

Surprising, considering he whined so loudly whenever a drop of rain so much as landed on his head.

And then it dawned on her. Alec had had her back for every second of their little search and rescue adventure. Got shot while doing it, too. In fact, she even remembered to thank him for it.

She grinned to herself before settling onto a log to watch their Manticore-made friends swim away. She kept that little smile on her face because well, that was kinda like their very own Disney version.

* * *

**7. Getting the Message**

Like finding the cure for the virus wasn't hard enough, Alec had to toss her virus papers onto Joshua's painting for palimpsest. That was just like adding insult to injury.

She huffed tiredly. Then she curled her body in Joshua's couch, brooding, falling very close to feeling sorry for herself. Then she heard a creak on the floorboard, and her eyes slid to the side to find Alec creeping about slowly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped.

He stiffened, but was obviously better at concealment that she realized, because he didn't jump in surprise. "Hey, Max," he said, "I didn't know you were gonna be here…I, uh, just wanted to, uh…"

She sat up from Joshua's couch, where she had planned on staying all night. Especially after her encounter with White. She had needed to be around family after finding out what White really was. She had needed comfort.

Not annoyance.

"Well?" she demanded.

He finally turned around, a rag wrapped around his hand. Max realized that he was standing in front of one of Joshua's paintings, and he had a bottle of some sort of paint remover in the other hand.

"Is that the painting with my papers?" she asked.

Alec opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead frowned heavily. He put the bottle down and unwound the cloth from his hand as he moved towards her.

"What happened to you?" he demanded.

Max puckered her brows together, and then gasped lightly, as she realized that he must be seeing the bruises from her run-in with White and his loon goons. All she wanted to do was help Wendy and Ray White. Instead, she found herself waist-deep in shit she couldn't even begin to understand.

She raised a hand to her swollen lips. White had almost knocked her teeth out with that board he'd slammed into her face. "It's nothing," she said quickly, not looking him in the eye.

He pursed his lips thoughtfully, then turned around and walked away. Max sighed with relief, glad that Alec wasn't fussing. She didn't want to make a big deal about it, but she was actually in pain. It was rare for her to hurt like this, but she had never gone against…whatever White and his men were.

She stared at the canvas in front of her, at all the paint over the scientist's scribbles. Most of it was beyond any possibility of salvage. Suddenly, she was filled with a sense of hopelessness. The cure was gone. The last set of clues to finding it was now stuck to a canvas of artsy splatters. How sad was that?

"Here."

She was startled out of her misery when Alec handed her a crumpled small towel. She eyed it curiously but didn't accept it. "What's that?"

"Ice."

"Oh." Gingerly, she reached for the towel, but just as she did so, the blanket slid to her waist, exposing all the scratches and bruises on her arm. She sensed Alec stiffen at the sight, but he didn't say anything gushy that would have made her cringe.

Instead his lips twisted into a small smile. "Guess I should have brought you a whole bucket."

She couldn't help but chuckle quietly at that. "Yeah, I guess."

He was gone again in the next instant, leaving Max to carefully apply the cold towel onto her lip. He came back a few minutes later with more ice and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. "You might need this too."

He didn't offer to help, and she didn't need him to. She took the antiseptic and went to work cleaning her wound. "I got into a fight today with some pretty tough guys," she whispered. "Got my ass handed to me."

He pursed his lips, and his brows crinkled slightly in the middle. "Who?"

"White," she said, looking him in the eye. "If the cops hadn't come…" she didn't finish the thought. She shook her head and looked away.

He nodded but didn't press her for more information; she was grateful, because she had hardly registered it herself. He just stayed with her the rest of the night.

Max woke up a few hours later, her shark DNA kicking in. She blinked sleepy eyes and looked around her. She could distinctly hear Joshua's deep, heavy breathing in the next room. She saw Alec, his long, lean body folded uncomfortably on the reclining chair across from her, sleeping soundly. She saw the small bucket of ice that was now just water by the couch on the floor. Then she saw the canvas with the cure papers painted over.

There was a message here. Like the universe was trying to tell her something. But she was too tired to connect the dots right now. So she buried herself in her little spot on the couch and went back to sleep, a small smile on her face.

* * *

**8. A No-Brainer**

"You know, I never really noticed but…he's actually kinda magnificent."

He took the words right out of her mouth. The exact same words she had said to Brain just before he died. A tear started to roll down her face. "Yeah. He was."

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"For what?"

Alec shoved his hands into his pockets, his eyes were on the men who were moving furniture in and out of Brain's old apartment, Alec's new one. Max heard him sigh deeply. "I'm not sure. He was one of…us. And well, now he's gone, too."

But Max understood. Their family was less one.

* * *

**1. ****It's Not All Right **

Alec smiled widely at her after a short pause. "I'm always all right," he grinned, then walked past her and out of Jam Pony. Max stood where she was for a moment, a small smile on her face.

She was proud of him for being strong enough to be all right. Even if he had to pretend and lie through his teeth.

But at the same time, deeply disappointed that he didn't need her help. Because strangely enough, she wanted to help. And she really thought she could, too.

* * *

**2. ****Stolen Time **

She was upset at time wasted. Because time wasted ultimately meant time lost. And time lost for a moment was time lost for good.

Max sat in the old convertible in the junkyard for what seemed like an eternity, feeling a sense of numbness seeping into her bones. She hadn't been able to say that she had loved him, too. Not to Logan's face. She couldn't make the words come out.

Not until he was gone.

"I love you, too." And somehow, the whispered words seemed hollow and insignificant in the face of all the time she'd wasted and lost with Logan. The meaning lost because she could no longer remember a time when they did.

She felt the car shift slightly to the right as Alec hopped over the side doors gracefully. He sat next to her, leaning his forearms on his knees.

"You okay?" he asked hesitantly.

She sighed heavily, not even able to muster enough annoyance to blow him off like she usually did whenever he tried to butt into her life.

He scratched his head lightly, and grimaced as it came away with some of the goo stuff from the Gossamer. She smiled lightly as she recalled the excuses he had made to explain the creature. Alec was good; she had to give him that much credit. He could roll with the punches and hit the ground running—never once missing a beat. She could almost count on him to always figure a way out of all kinds of trouble. Almost.

"So, the cure…wasn't really a cure, after all."

"Obviously."

"So, what're you gonna do now?"

She turned to face him, her mind reeling with the possibility that she and Logan may have actually used up all the time that they had for each other. It left her feeling both scared and empty, but also strangely relieved. "I don't know," she replied honestly.

He nodded. "There's still hope. I mean you got your 12 hours, next time, you might get more…or it could be permanent," he reassured her, although his voice seemed just as hollow and forced as hers had been.

She shook her head, not knowing if she could take another blow like missing another 12-hour window. "I don't know if I can wait for that...if it's worth…this."

He looked at her, his face softening. "Well, I think some things are just worth waiting forever for. Even when time doesn't wait for us. There are things worth that gamble."

He smiled tentatively at her, and then he hopped off the car, leaving it shaking, just like Max's world felt at the moment. And she was left wondering just exactly what it was Alec was waiting for.

**

* * *

**

**TBC **

**A/N2: Next few snippets will be in Chapter 2. Obviously, you need some kind of background info on each episode to really understand what's going on in each missing scene. I just hope I gave enough clues all throughout. **


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: Dark Angel does not belong to me. I'm just playing around with it.**

**A/N: So, I said ten snippets, but this was all I could think of for the moment. Besides, these are longer than the ones in the first set. So hopefully, it's enough.**

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**No Safe Harbors**

Max was lying on her bed, her body feeling like dead weight. She didn't want to cry, but somehow, tears were streaming down her face, slipping to the sides of her cheeks, pooling in the small crevices in her ears.

She had been so scared.

It was different, running away from Lydecker all those years. She had known that Lydecker had wanted to capture her and possess her. But White…he was different altogether. He wanted to _eradicate_ her.

And tonight, he had come so damn close to doing just that.

She heard a scratching at her window, and turned her head to look over. Alec's face stared back at her from the other side. She rolled her eyes and turned her back to him, snuggling back into her warm blankets. Quickly, she wiped her tears against her pillow.

She knew he'd just let himself in.

Sure enough, a few moments later, she heard his footsteps treading lightly over their floor. He parted the beaded curtain that separated her room from the rest of the apartment, sending them rattling. The sound was strangely soothing, like an echo of a distant waterfall.

Alec crouched down next to her, his face level with hers on the bed. "I came as soon as I heard," he murmured.

"Where've you been?" she whispered, her voice coming out as a slight whine. She hadn't meant to sound like that. Except that she hadn't known how upset she was that he hadn't been there for her, until he was here. Now. Hours too late.

She saw his throat constrict slightly, a look of unease on his face. "I went out for a ride. I had some things to think about."

She turned away from him. She couldn't help but feel utterly betrayed by his absence. And then it struck her: why would she have expected him around anyway? It wasn't like she depended on him, right?

But she did. For a long time now, she had depended on Alec to…be around. And when he hadn't been there, she had felt completely hurt. This wasn't right. Alec was just…Alec.

"I didn't expect you, anyway," she murmured.

She heard him sigh heavily. "Well, I'm here now," he replied.

Without turning, she heard him settle himself on her floor, sitting down and leaning against the wall next to her bed. "What are you doing?" she asked half-annoyed, and half-hopeful.

"Staying," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I wouldn't want you to accuse me of being a bad friend." He chuckled.

She turned back to face him. He had one knee bent, and an arm propped on that knee. His head was leaned back against the wall, and he looked for all the world like he was sitting under a tree on a lazy summer day. It irked her to no end.

"You're too late. _Logan_ got me out of there."

"So I heard."

"Yeah, well you should have come sooner," she retorted testily. "When you could've been useful."

"I would have if I'd known!" he snapped. He looked angry all of a sudden, the lazy façade slipping, his face turning tense and taut.

"Didn't Logan call you?"

"No, Original Cindy did."

Which couldn't have been more than a couple of hours ago. "Oh."

Then he looked at her accusingly. "Why didn't _you _call me?" he asked tersely.

Max looked away and stared at the ceiling. Good question. Why hadn't she? The answer was simple.

Because she was afraid of needing him.

She knew that if she just let herself lean on Alec just a little bit, she would be far too tempted to keep on leaning, until she couldn't exist without him. That was just terrifying. It was unthinkable.

"I don't need you," she said in a strangled whisper.

His eyes were opaque in the dark. She could see the very tight leash he held on his emotions as his face turned into a mask of granite. Impenetrable. Slowly, very slowly, he pulled himself to a standing position. He brushed his pants with his hands nonchalantly, even while his shoulders remained taut. "Fine," he said in a cold, calm voice. "I'll go."

And with that, he walked through the curtain of beads again. This time, the sound of the beads crashing together wasn't that of comfort. It sounded like loneliness, like distant wind chimes of ice. The sound chilled her, and she shivered.

As he left, it was like he took all the air out of the room with him. Max's throat felt tight, and she couldn't quite catch a breath. It had nothing to do with her injuries, and everything to do with the need to hold her tears inside.

No, she didn't need him. She wouldn't be that weak.

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**In Vain**

It was so much easier to be angry at him.

"You made _Joshua_ deliver those packages for you?" she was practically breathing fire. "Are you completely off your hinges!?"

Alec rolled his eyes at her. "Hey, it turned out fine," he replied evenly. "He's not a kid, Max. He can take care of himself!"

"Right," she snorted. "Like maybe how he came home completely spooked? Or that his system was completely pumped up with drugs?"

"He'll get over it."

She shook her head at him, her lips curled in disdain, her eyes flashing angrily. "You're such an asshole, Alec," she snapped. "This is why I can never depend on you. You just don't think about anyone else but yourself. You're a complete jerk, a real pain in the ass, a selfish bastard, and an irresponsible idiot!"

She could see the way he clenched his jaw until a muscle started ticking dangerously. She saw how his normally full lips compressed themselves into a thin bloodless line. She noticed the clenched hands at his sides. But still she pushed his buttons.

"You're a liar. You use others for your own ends. You just don't know how to care. How can _anyone_ ever trust you?"

His eyes were shuttered by now, and he stared at her expressionless. There was no trace of the smart aleck, no trace of the happy-go-lucky young man, no trace of the guy that she had come so close to needing.

A slow smile worked its way onto his face and he took a deep breath. "You're right, Max," he said softly. "You've just got me all figured out, right?"

With that, he turned swiftly, and left, slamming the door behind him.

It was so much easier to be angry at him. To push him away. Even when she felt completely and utterly spent when he left. Empty.

But she couldn't forget Marrow's words. They taunted her every waking moment.

"_See those kids out there…they love me."_

"_Love you?"_

"_They can't live without me. Isn't that the same thing?"_

Those kids had been needy, dependent, desperate and completely at Marrow's mercy. Was that love? It couldn't be. She couldn't fall that low, could she?

"_What can I say? Once you've had transgenic, you can't go back."_

And this was why she would never let herself fall for Alec.

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**Wham, Bam, Thank You, Ma'am**

"_You're going to have the best life together. You're so perfect for each other."_

For a while, Max had really believed Mia's words. She and Logan were gonna be all right. They were going to have the best life together. They were perfect for each other. She had felt all warm and cuddly. She'd even had the fuzzies.

She cringed, now. Hours later when the fuzzies had finally worn off.

Mia had put the whammy on her again.

Max growled in annoyance as she spotted the voluptuous, dark-haired transgenic, and her short, bald boyfriend, Dougie leaving the ticket counter at the airport. She stood in front of the two, hands on her hips and glared her most heated glare at them.

Mia just smiled like everything was right as rain. "Maxie!" she squealed.

Max turned up the heat on her glare. It was lucky she managed to catch the two before they disappeared off the face of the planet. "That was a cruel trick you played on me," she commented lightly, but her voice managed to convey her anger.

Mia tried to look innocent, a look she had probably practiced for hours in front of a mirror. But it didn't work on Max. She wanted to punch that look off the other transgenic's face, but held back. Even if Mia wasn't quite as strong as an X5, the girl still packed a punch that would have put Rocky to shame.

"Why'd you make me believe all that about Logan and me?" she demanded, "And don't try any of your hypnotic mumbo-jumbo on me again, because if I so much as even sniff any of that, I'm gonna hurt…" her eyes traveled to the confused man standing next to Mia. "…Dougie."

Mia pursed her lips in irritation. She placed her hands on her hips and sighed heavily. "Because, honey, you wanted to believe all that so bad," she explained, her voice condescendingly sweet. "It was easier for you than the truth. Although, I think that the truth really does set you free."

"What truth?" demanded Max.

"Why, about Alec, of course!" exclaimed Mia, in obvious exasperation. "Don't you know the truth?"

"Of course, I do!" snapped Max. "I love Alec!"

Mia smiled mystically. "See…don't you feel much better?"

Max felt slightly sick, actually. She couldn't even raise a finger in protest as Mia waved a cheerful "ta-ta now," before she and Dougie sidestepped around her.

Now she wished Mia _had_ put the whammy on her.

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**Open to Exposure**

"So, what kind of mess did Alec manage to get himself into while I was gone?" asked Max, as she strolled into her apartment, tossing her overnight bag onto the couch.

Original Cindy looked up from her pedicure with a smirk. "And Original Cindy is fine, thank you for askin'," she drawled.

Max grinned at her roommate. "Hey,"

OC rolled her eyes. "Yo' boy's been good the last coupla days if you wuz wonderin'."

"I wasn't really," replied Max nonchalantly, opening the fridge and checking for food contents.

"So, why'd ya ask?"

"Just curious," she replied easily. "Part of the cocktail mix that makes me such a unique creature, unlike any other."

"Mm-hmm." O.C. wore a look of pure skepticism. Then the darker skinned woman shrugged expansively and resumed painting her toenails a deep burgundy color. "Guess you wouldn't really care that yo' boy's sleepin' in yo' room right now."

"What?!" Max immediately rushed to her bedroom, only to find it empty. She turned around and glared at her roommate. "That was low, Cin," she muttered.

O.C. just grinned. "Boo, you sprung so bad you can't even think straight,"

"No, I'm not," she denied hotly. "I just didn't want him messing up my sheets. Who knows where his ass has been."

"Nowhere in the last month or two," said Cindy, an eyebrow cocked. "O.C. been keepin' her eyes and ears out fo' yo' boy. He ain't been wit nobody in a while."

"Not that you know about," muttered Max, not allowing herself to feel any kind of hope at Cindy's news.

Original Cindy shrugged. "Believe what you like, Boo, but yo' boy been watchin' yo' back, too,"

"Whaddya mean?"

"Been talkin' Sketchy out of huntin' mutants, been calming Normal from firing yo foine transgenic ass, been keepin' rumors of yo' involvement with the S1W or any of that crack under control. Been lookin' out for stuff you don't."

"Oh."

"You been a little open to exposure, Boo," reprimanded Original Cindy. "But yo' boy's got yo' back."

And that was exactly what she had been afraid of.

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**Hello, it's hard to say Goodbye**

By all counts, she should really hate him. Everything had been wrong since the moment she met him.

In all honesty, she had fallen for him anyway, no matter how hard she tried not to.

There was a profound realization if there ever was one.

By all rights, she should have done it long ago, said goodbye and just let go.

In all fairness, he had never been the one, no matter how hard she wanted him to be.

"Love sucks," she muttered into the air, repeating Joshua's words from earlier that afternoon. Love sucked because it never made any kind of sense.

"No, kidding," sighed Alec.

She turned her head to glance at him. "I can't seem to get it right," she sighed.

"I always fall for the ones I can't have," he offered.

"Guess we're in the same boat."

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**In the Dawg House**

She felt Alec's arms go around her and Joshua. His large hand splayed against her shoulder blade, and she could feel the warmth seeping past her sweater. It felt so good.

It wasn't the warm and cuddly feeling. It wasn't the fuzzies. It was something even better.

It was the real thing.

They stayed huddled together, holding Joshua, even as he whimpered and wailed his grief over Annie's death. Max held on tighter as a shudder ran through her Big Fella. She felt Alec's arms tighten, too, as if sensing the same need. It was like a protective cocoon around their friend, both of them wishing they could somehow take on some of Joshua's pain. They would share the pain together.

Moments later, Joshua finally subsided into a grief-stricken slumber. They had managed to coax him onto the couch, where he had curled his large frame into a fetal position.

Max stared at her friend, tears glistening in her eyes. She heard Alec's footsteps recede and return. She looked back at him and he handed her a heavy blanket. She smiled gratefully as she accepted it and threw the warm covering over Joshua. She lovingly tucked the edges around him, and he whimpered in his sleep.

Suddenly, Max felt Alec's warm hand on her shoulder.

That was all she needed.

Without another word, she turned to him, and he welcomed her into his embrace. He held her close, his wide chest and strong arms offering shelter, comfort—a place to take refuge. She buried her head in his chest, and he tightened his hold on her.

She heard his steady heartbeat, strong and sure under her ear. She felt each deep breath that he took, as his chest rose and fell with each draw of air. Her arms, which were folded under her chin in between their bodies, slowly, tentatively unfurled and came to wrap around his waist. She held on tight and snuggled closer.

His breathing hitched for a moment. His heartbeat skipped under her cheek.

Max tightened her grip, and he sighed as their bodies molded into one.

She had never felt more at home.

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**We are Family**

"Thought you were leaving town?" asked Logan, his tone even and measured. His gaze bore into her as if he was trying very hard to read her mind.

Max smiled tenderly at him. As hard as he tried, he would never even come close. And she had to give Logan credit for trying. For as long as she had known him, he had done his best to understand her.

She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes searching. She saw her clone, hugging her family tightly. It had come as a shock to see her clone.

It was an even bigger shock to see her clone with a family.

Max had thought that running away had been the answer. That people were safer—better off—without her. But she saw herself in Sam's shoes. A family…that was worth sticking to her guns for.

Unbidden, her eyes searched for Alec, even as she answered Logan. "Nah," she smiled, turning back to him. She cocked her head towards the general direction of the other transgenics. "Got some family stuff to take care of."

Later, she and Sam walked into HQ together. Their clothes had been switched back. Aside from that, they were identical to the last detail.

But Alec came straight to her, a smirk on his face, shotgun over his shoulder. "Hey, Maxie," he drawled. "Liked the welcome party?" he asked, referring to the mix of transgenics that had greeted her and White earlier in the evening.

She grinned at him. "Pulled out all the stops, huh?"

"Of course," he shrugged. "When it comes to rescuing my…_friend_…and her clone, I'm not being half-assed about it." He tossed a cursory glance at Sam, who only smirked at him.

Logan stood two steps behind her and Sam. Equidistant. Equally unsure which one of them could infect him with the virus.

Max sighed. Logan had never really known her. The proof was there in front of her eyes. He hadn't been able to tell her and Sam apart from the very beginning. But Alec had only taken one glance and had _known_.

"Say, Alec," she drawled. "How do you really know it's me?"

Sam seemed to get the idea and drawled in an identical tone. "Or that I'm me?"

Alec chuckled, but his eyes never left Max. "Because I know you."

And Max didn't doubt him for a moment. And neither did she doubt whether she was staying or not. She had one good reason.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N2**: **There's** **only two more episodes from "She Ain't Heavy". I'm still figuring out how to wrap this up without going too far off from canon. It's kinda hard because it seemed like the writers of the show went a complete 360 at the end. So…eh. Besides, I'm taking the longer pieces as a sign that my writer's block is slowly easing its way out. Let's cross our fingers, shall we?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Dark Angel isn't mine. Wish it were, but sometimes, we gotta face reality.**

**A/N: These are all just from Love Among the Runes. There were so many scenes that just begged to be told, and these are only some of them. I hope you guys enjoy! Please leave me a review or comment if you have a second to spare. They fuel the muse, that's for sure!**

* * *

REALITY CRASH

She didn't want him to tell Logan.

Max bit her lip anxiously, her right leg bouncing nervously. Original Cindy watched her in suspicion, her dark brown eyes scanning over Max every two seconds. She took a long drink of her beer, downing the entire glass in almost a single gulp, to escape her friend's scrutiny. But that only earned her a single raised brow from her best friend.

"What's got you all pretzeled up?"

"What?" Max asked distractedly, her eyes darting towards the entrance for the hundredth time in the last twenty minutes.

"Original Cindy can't help but feel that her Boo is a little more twisted than usual. Care to share?"

Max shrugged, wearing the most nonchalant expression she could muster under the circumstances. "I don't know what you're talking about,"

Cindy smirked at her. "Lemme guess, it's got something to do with your boy," she drawled, tracing the rim of her beer mug with a delicate finger. "He's in trouble somehow and you can't wait to rip at him."

"Alec's not in trouble," replied Max, not even realizing that she had failed to deny that he was 'her' boy. Her eyes were once again drawn towards the entrance of Crash. "He's just…" _about to break-up my non-existent relationship with him. _She sighed heavily, not finishing her sentence out loud. She really had no reason to be feeling this out of sorts about it.

Original Cindy grabbed Max's wrist and squeezed. "Boo? Ya still wit' me?"

Max looked slightly startled at her friend. "Sorry, Cin, just that…got a lotta things on my mind right now."

"No kidding. You've had the attention span of a gnat all night. So, what's got you spun?"

"Alec went to tell Logan that I lied to him about being together," she sighed heavily, unable to hide the sheer dejection in her voice. "He wouldn't even listen! Said something about not being the kind of guy to steal someone else's girl." She snorted inelegantly at that. "I mean, c'mon, that's all he does, right?"

O.C. bit her lip and shook her head gingerly. "Might surprise ya to know that he really ain't the type. He tomcatted, fo'sho, but never with someone else's girl."

Max frowned heavily. "Well, whatever. It's over now, anyway. Not like it matters."

"So…lemme see if I can make crystal outta yo' muck: You upset because Logan's 'bout to find out you lied 'bout you and Alec…or you upset 'cuz is all a lie and is all over before it's even begun?"

Max stared at Cindy for a long while, but she could feel a faint blush coloring her neck, her cheeks, and making her ears burn. "_Of_ _course_, it's because of Logan…" she finally answered. Why it took her so long to reply to the obvious was beyond her.

"Mm-hmm." Her best friend didn't sound like she believed her.

"Besides…me and Alec aren't _like that_!" Her eyes widened at her own words. She groaned in disgust over herself, and she _knew _that Original Cindy was trying very hard to stifle her laughter.

"Boo," sighed O.C., "You spun waaay outta orbit."

"No kidding," she sighed heavily. "I just…it's just…he's not interested."

"And if he were…are _you_ interested?"

"That's besides the point. I mean he couldn't wait to go and tell Logan that there's nothing between us. I mean, he was so _angry_ at me for telling Logan that me and him were together. C'mon, Cin, what does all that say about his feelings for me?"

"That he doesn't like lies and deception?"

"Puh-lease," she scoffed. "The guy's lived his whole life through lies and deceptions…what's one more? It oughta be easy."

"Wanna hear my honest opinion, Boo?"

Max threw Cindy a look of mock disgust. Since when had OC ever _not_ given her an earful of her honest opinion? "Opinionate away," she sighed with a twisted smile.

"Maybe…just maybe, Alec is tired of lies and deception. Maybe that's why he was so pissed. I think Pretty Boy deserves more than lies and deceptions. I think Logan deserves more than lies and deceptions, and I certainly think that _you_ deserve more than lies and deceptions. The only problem here is…which one's the lie?"

Max opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a half-strangled sigh. Just then, she caught sight of a familiar curly-haired, broad-shouldered, handsome transgenic shouldering his way to the bar. She felt her mouth go dry, wondering how in all hell it had taken her so long to appreciate how attractive Alec really was.

In fact, she had taken the scenic route in admitting that he was actually one of the good guys. One of the _best_, in fact.

She couldn't remember a moment of crisis in recent memory when Alec had not been there: supporting her, arguing with her, making her laugh, protecting her, and just over all being there for her. When all was said and done, there was no one in the world she trusted more than Alec at this point. Not even Logan.

And come to think of it, she had twisted that trust up, and screwed it so badly by using him and lying to him and Logan about their relationship. Come to think of it, she didn't want it screwed at all. In fact, she wanted it to _not_ be a lie. She wanted it to be right.

And somehow, she'd find a way to make it right.

* * *

FRANTIC

Forty minutes was too long.

It was too damned long.

And Max had the sinking feeling that in this case, too long meant too late. She maneuvered her Ninja through the crowded side streets of Seattle, all the while her keen eyes scanned the crowd for any signs of a mob, a commotion, a disturbance...anything.

There was none.

Everyone looked like they were going about their day-to-day business, hustlin' and bustlin' everywhere. But there was nothing that told her about a scuffle or any sign of excitement over a transgenic sighting.

She bit her lip as her tension mounted. Biggs was in trouble out there somewhere, and she had no clue where to find him. Worse, she had no clue whether he was all right or not. It made her feel sick.

Their last contact with Biggs had placed him near Alec's place.

_Near Alec's place._ Max clenched her jaw as she fought against a tide of cold emotion that washed over her. She didn't want to consider how easy it could have been Alec who was missing now. If she was feeling a growing tension and worry over Biggs's disappearance, she knew she would be nothing short of _frantic_ if Alec had disappeared. She would be…Max bit on her lower lip hard until she drew blood. She wouldn't know what to do if Alec went missing now.

She hated to admit it, but it was crystal clear to her now. She needed him like she needed no one else.

It was terrifying to admit that to herself. But not nearly half as frightening as the idea of losing him. Max swallowed past the lump that had magically appeared in her throat, and almost smiled. Almost.

Because she wished that it didn't have to take Biggs's disappearance to help her realize just how much she needed Alec. How much she depended on him. How much she cared about whether he was around or not.

Her phone vibrated against her chest, momentarily breaking her train of thought. It shook just over her heart where her messenger bag was strapped across. She flipped the Velcro open and flicked the phone on. "This is Max," she said urgently in reply.

"It's me."

Her heart raced in relief and concern at the sound of his voice. "Anything?"

"Disturbances reported on an empty lot under the West Seattle bridge, corner of 1st and Spokane. Where are you?" Alec's voice was hard and precise. There was no hint of the smart-aleck that she knew in his tone.

Max's glance flickered briefly over the street name. "4th and Holgate," she replied briskly, tone matching his in its intensity.

"Rendezvous in two."

With that, he hung up.

Max gunned her engine and went to meet Alec, hoping against hope that Biggs was all right.

* * *

STILLNESS

He was still alive. But barely.

Max had to suppress the bile that threatened to push past her throat at the sight of Biggs's body hanging limply upside down. She could feel the tense anger radiating off of Alec as he stood next to her.

She chanced a glance at him, and his face was a mask of coldness, carved of ice. The only sign of emotion was the glittering of his hazel eyes, reflecting the fiery X that had been lit in protest against their kind.

She laid a gentle hand on Alec's wrist, careful not to make any sudden movements to make him snap. "He's alive."

"I know." He replied tautly, his lips barely moving. It was eerie to see this side of Alec. He had such mobile lips and animated expressions, that to see this…stillness…from him was jarring to her perceptions of him. She had always thought of him as elusive. Every flicker of emotion on his face, a comment from his mouth, a smirk on those lips, a gleam in those eyes, all happen so quickly, one after the other. It was like catching the wind. It was like trying to hold air in her palms. It made Alec seem almost too variable and capricious to rely on.

But seeing this stillness from him, the rock-solid determination that held his unyielding frame made her realize that in moments like this, she did have him. She had him at her back, she had him to fall on, and she knew he would catch her. He was there, and he was real.

"We'll get him outta here," she whispered softly.

"I know."

And she could not doubt him when he said it with his stillness.

She turned to look at Biggs again. They could barely see the pulse that still throbbed at the base of his neck. He was desperately trying to control his breathing, keeping it shallow and almost undetectable. He was playing dead, and at this point, Max knew that it was the wisest thing he could have done.

"Ambulance, paramedics," hissed Alec, alerting her to their presence. Sector police were now also filing in, followed closely by the media. The uniformed Sector police started pushing the people away from the "crime scene", while reporters pulled out cameras and started to interview the rowdy crowd gathered around.

Max and Alec watched in taut silence, barely moving despite the people that streamed past them on both sides, sometimes bumping against them. They kept a close eye on the medics who were lowering Biggs's body. The two men who carried him over to a gurney slipped and slid over the heap of debris scattered about.

She heard Alec growl slightly as they banged Biggs's shoulder against a jagged piece of a broken pillar. It would have taken an incredible amount of self-control to remain impassive and unresponsive under such mistreatment, but Biggs did it.

"Let's go," she whispered, nodding towards the ambulance.

He gave one solid nod, and they walked forward as casually as though they were just one of the avid spectators of the gruesome scene. As soon as they were hidden behind the ambulance, she and Alec quickly, but silently disposed of the paramedics. He slid in the driver's seat, and she slipped into the back where Biggs was.

As calmly as they could, they stole the ambulance and Biggs away.

* * *

NOT ALRIGHT

"This is Max calling for a secure rendezvous point," she called into her cellphone, flinching slightly as the armored vehicle she was driving slammed against a parked car. _Oops, hope they have insurance._

"Max?" Dix's voice was bewildered. "Where have you been? You were supposed to meet Alec an hour ago with those Korean arms dealers. He's off the wall and driving everyone nuts asking about where you are."

"Got held up…y'know, at gunpoint and in shackles by our favorite snake-worshipping inbreed," she drawled into the phone, her heart leaping slightly at the idea of Alec worrying about her. "Wasn't exactly in any shape to just leave whenever I wanted."

She could hear Dix trying to sputter out a reply. Sometimes, she forgot that the transhumans had spent so much of their lives in solitary confinement in the basements of Manticore, that they weren't really too keen on sarcasm and double meanings.

"Look, Dix, just get me a secure location. White's not too happy right now. I have custody of his prisoners."

"You…what?" Dix's voice was slightly bewildered. It was a good think that Mole had somehow managed to take control of the transmission.

"Gotcha, on that one, Max. Meet us at Pine and 20th. We'll make sure everything's covered. Transport will be available for everyone back to TC," directed Mole in his cigar-roughened voice. Terminal City wasn't known as ground zero for transgenics just yet. Only White and some of his cohorts knew, and the less people who could trace them back, the better.

"Aiight, be there in ten. White's hot on our trail, so keep a lookout. This heap is shit to drive, can't go faster than 45," she grumbled into her phone.

"Sending escorts."

"Great," Then she promptly gave Mole her location.

Within minutes, she saw four men on motorcycles come out of the woodwork. With a small pang in her heart, she instantly recognized Alec on his bright green Duke, bent low over the handle bars.

He came up right next to her on the driver's side of the van, and bared his teeth at her into something that wasn't quite a smile. Even with his wraparound shades covering half of his face completely, Max could still tell that he was very angry. She scowled at him and ignored him for the rest of the drive towards the designated location.

As soon as the armored vehicle skidded to a halt in an empty dirt lot, Alec hopped off his motorcycle and yanked her door open.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?"

Max reared back in surprise and shock at the sheer anger in his tone. He grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her down towards the ground, almost causing her to fall on her face.

She wrenched her arm back with enough force that matched his anger, and snapped at him. "Rescue op, what does it look like?" She casually thumbed towards the small stream of X-series coming out of the vehicle being greeted by the armed welcome committee Mole had sent out.

He grabbed her shoulders and shook her almost violently. "_By_ _yourself_?"

"Seemed like a good idea at the time," she drawled nonchalantly, hiding the fact that she was completely off-balance by this display of anger from him. "I don't see why you're so bent outta shape 'bout this. It was successful."

He literally growled at her, and looked like he wanted to say something more, a myriad of emotions flickered past his handsome face. Instead, he just shrugged and shoved her against the armored vehicle with a growl. She hit the side of the truck with a loud thud. The impact caused her jacket to fall open, and she heard his instantaneous hiss of anger.

It was then that she realized that her red top was completely ripped down the front. White hadn't seen fit to replace the goods he'd damaged when he had tried to get a look at her runes. Her chest and stomach were exposed, her black bra leaving nothing much to the imagination. Her runes stood starkly against her caramel skin, almost like she'd been branded as an even bigger freak than the rest of them.

Max hastily tried to pull her tattered shirt together. But Alec had already whipped his jacket off, and in a blur, had her cocooned safely in it, and in his arms. "Who. Did. This?" He sounded like he was grasping for control, and barely managing to get a hold of his temper.

"White."

"_Bastard_." He growled softly under his breath. "Did he hurt you?"

"Not for lack of trying, for sure," she sighed. "But he got CJ. He…he was the one who helped me escape."

"What the hell were you thinking going off on your own all half-assed like this? It's not like you." he demanded.

She bristled slightly and tried to wiggle out of his hold on her. But his arms were like steel bands around her, and he only held her tighter. "I wasn't intending to go see White," she snapped. "I'm not stupid! CJ told me he knew how to contact Sandeman!"

"Oh, and you thought you'd go see our missing creator who also happens to be on everyone's _Top Ten Most Wanted_ list all by yourself?" he drawled sarcastically. "Yeah, cuz that's any smarter than going head-to-head with White without backup."

"I _wasn't_ alone!" she griped. "CJ was with me!"

"_CJ_…you're kidding, right?" he scoffed. "The CJ who did the monkey acrobatics at HQ? The CJ you took down with a single punch? _That_ CJ?"

"I wasn't thinking, all right!" she growled, finally admitting her mistake.

"Damn right, you weren't!" he growled back. "I mean, hell, Max, you'd have me in a bloody pulp on the ground by now if I'd just pulled the shit you just did right now. You can't just go off doing things like you damn well please thinking you can protect yourself without any help."

"I've always been able to take care of myself." She said stubbornly.

"Not against enemies like these," he whispered, his voice suddenly gentle.

It was that gentleness that finally broke down her anger and annoyance at him. She sagged in his arms, leaning slightly into him. He tightened and adjusted his hold on her, still wrapped in his warm leather jacket, so that he was practically hugging her. They stood like that for a moment, while all around them other transgenics bustled about. She was surrounded by his scent, and swimming in the heady sensation of being so close to him. It clouded her peace of mind, and unnerved her. She wasn't ready for moments like this. The feelings were almost overpowering…it was scary.

"Alec?" she whispered slightly. "It's all right now. I mean, everyone's all right, so you can let go of me now. You can go now."

He sighed heavily, and his grip went slack. His arms dropped heavily onto his sides, and his face was an unreadable mask…blank and solitary all at once. "Well, I'm not. I'm not all right, Max," he sighed. Then he turned around and walked back towards his bike.

Max was left to watch him ride away, emotions, fears, and adrenaline making her feel weak in the knees. She tried to tell herself it was just that. It had nothing…absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she _hated_ how he had just left her.

Even if she did ask him to.

* * *

LOVE AND LAUGHTER

She heard his laughter.

Well, she _picked out_ his laughter amid the many that rang out throughout HQ. Max stayed where she was, facing the now blank computer screen where Logan's face had been. She wished she could have just managed to tell Logan the truth.

No, she wasn't really with Alec.

Yes, she wished she really could be with Alec.

But as it stood, he was probably not interested. She remembered his anger, and the way he had brushed her off after they found Biggs. Then she remembered him riding away from her earlier this evening.

Max stifled a heavy sigh. The events of the day were overwhelming, and Max wished she could just leave this party without feeling like a total killjoy.

Of course, there were things to celebrate. One, they had managed to extract Biggs and get him to the makeshift infirmary. He was stabilized now, and his transgenic healing was already kicking in. Two, Alec had scored a sweet deal with the arms dealers: M203 Grenade launchers, M4 Carbines, 'fire-and-forget' Javelins, and all that heavy-grade stuff that they really needed. Three, there were twenty-three new members in Terminal City, thanks to her _half-assed_ rescue op. Her _successful _rescue op. Four, she just realized that she was falling in love with Alec. No, she was already in love with him.

Talking to Logan over the secure commlink had made her realize how different her dynamic was between both men. She turned to Logan for logical purposes, rational reasons, and for simple answers. They talked about prophecies and missions. With Alec, she turned to him for support, for understanding, and for comfort. She turned to him for something more than logic could ever define. Something along the lines of friendship, love and laughter.

She caught the deep rumbling sound of his laughter again, and her lips twitched into a sad smile.

"Hey, Mole," she heard him drawl. "Ever heard of frostbite? Make sure your fingers don't fall off like your cigar just did."

She finally turned to look over her shoulder at the revelry that was going on behind her. Mole and the Arctic unit—Eric—were betting who could last longer in reversed circumstances. Eric looked like he was melting into a puddle, and Mole looked like he was never going to be warm ever again.

Everywhere around them were laughing, smiling faces.

Her eyes searched for Alec, but couldn't find him. She frowned slightly.

"Looking for me?" he drawled, his breath hot against her cheek.

She jumped slightly in surprise. He was crouched next to her now, grinning madly at her. "Shit!" she cried, frowning because she hadn't heard his approach at all.

"Well, not exactly the reaction I was hoping for," he murmured, still smiling at her.

She shook her head tiredly. "Nah, just…well…it's been a freakishly long day."

"You say 'freakishly' like it's a bad thing," he quipped.

"Ha. Ha."

His smile softened, and he tentatively wrapped a hand around her wrist, much like he did the first time they saw the runes appear on her arm. "Let's go," he said, nodding towards the exit.

"But…"

"We all understand how 'freakishly' long your day has been, Maxie," he whispered.

She smiled tiredly at him. She threw one glance at the people eating pizza and drinking beer, laughing and chatting. She grinned at Alec, knowing that he really wanted her to smile and laugh, even for a little bit.

"How about after one pizza and a beer?"

"Well, now I just think your scamming me, pretending to be tired and all," he joked.

"Oh yeah, because dark circles under my eyes are a real fashion statement." She snorted.

He shrugged. "I only see a girl who wants her pizza and beer," he said, a smile playing around his lips. He stood up and patted away imaginary dust from his jeans. He straightened himself out, then offered a hand towards her almost hesitantly.

Max smiled and slipped her hand in his, wondering why she never noticed how well their hands were designed to fit against each other. His long warm fingers closed around hers, their fingers interlocking perfectly.

They shared a smile before he called out in his deep tenor, "Hey, can I get a pizza up here?"

She looked around her, feeling content for the first time in a really, really long while. There was laughter around her again. She glanced cautiously at Alec who was leaning down the railing to accept a beer and pizza for her. And there was love, too.

Love and laughter. What more could a girl want?

"Here ya go," said Alec, handing her the food and drink.

Maybe love and laughter that belonged to her.

* * *

**TBC**

**As soon as I figure out how to make sense of Freak Nation.** **I hope you're still enjoying these snippets.**


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